Millenstead is only the fifth boss of Glendinings, which was founded as a numismatic and Oriental (mainly Japanese art) auction house by Douglas Glendining in 1900. Glendining's nephew (Douglas Wright) is renowned in the Oriental trade - I saw him vetting at the Grosvenor House fair only this month. The firm was absorbed into the Phillips group in 1947.
The last sale at this house was held on May 25, until which the catalogues were designated as Bonhams, with "incorporating Glendinings" in smaller type underneath. Here, however, "Glendinings" was dropped; whether this omission was by design or just an error soon to be rectified has not been made clear.
Writing personally, it seems a shame that the venerable name of Glendinings should be consigned to oblivion and, asking around, I discover that I am not alone in this opinion. The now ghostly firm of Glendinings held some of the greatest coin auctions, certainly in London, and many of them compare with the most significant which have ever taken place.
Enough history, we must attend to the May 25 sale itself.
The Charles I gold broad by Nicholas Briot is one of the most photogenic of the whole British series. There was a particularly appealing example in this sale. These coins are relatively easy to estimate (£800-1000) and predictably it realised £920.
Until about a generation ago the Abdication of Edward VIII was an emotive subject; it is less so today and the coins and medals of this ill-fated monarch attract a ready following. The gold 1936 accession medal was estimated at £400-600. It was fairly described as excessively rare and it realised £420. A similar medal for the Abdication failed to sell, as did a 1937 proposed Coronation medal estimated at £600-800.
It remains to wish all parties a successful future.
